Slovakian election: “Gorilla” may help Fico to victory

Euronews

Robert Fico is poised to sweep to victory in the Slovakian election on Saturday.

The Leftist former Prime Minister has gained much support pledging to tax the rich and better protect the working classes in the country which is facing high unemployment and economic turmoil.

The election – in the euro zone’s second poorest country – has been called two years early after the coalition collapsed when one of its junior members refused to back the expansion of the euro zone’s bailout fund.

Fico will be helped by the decision of popular Prime Minister Iveta Radicova to resign the leadership of the Slovak Democratic Union.

The new leader of the centre-right party, Mikulas Dzurinda, looks set to lose his seat at the top table and faces being voted out of parliament. There is great upset in the country following the apparent leak of a secret service file codenamed “Gorilla” in December.

It claimed to show bugged conversations between top politicians and businessmen in which they discuss kickbacks in return for the sale of public companies.

Tens of thousands of angry Slovaks took to the streets in the aftermath of the leak. Many voters are said to be disillusioned by corruption in the country. Analysts estimate a record low turnout of around 40 per cent, a factor which should also help Fico.